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(New York, N.Y.) – The Immigrant Arts Coalition, an activism support group comprised of New York City- based cultural organizations, today sent a letter to President Donald Trump about the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)’s “harmful” decision to adjust its mission statement and calling on the President to support the contributions of immigrant artists in our country.

“We urge your administration to commit to protect and preserve the rights of those who seek refuge and opportunity in our country, starting by imploring that the USCIS ensures its mission statement reflects this,” the letter reads.”Your words, and your actions, matter. We need immigration policies that light the way forward for the ‘DREAMers’ and the dreamers, that topples instead of builds walls, that unites families instead of tearing them apart, and that strengthens diversity instead of creating uniformity.”

The Coalition began forming in July 2017, when a group of arts and cultural organizations held their first arts summit at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. The Coalition’s agenda focuses on key areas of the arts: Advocacy, Diversity Support, Collaboration, Empowerment Through the Arts, and Artistic Engagement.